Motion picture apparatus



April 7, 1942. A. DusKEs I MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1N VENTOR.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

April 7, 1942. A. DusKl-:s

l MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1940 April 7, 1942. A. DusKEs MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS f Filed Jan. 8, 1940 4 SheeLS-SheeI 3 1N VENTOR.

April 7, 1942. A. DUSKES 2,279,022

MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS FiledJan. 8, 1940 4 sheets-sheet 4 1N VENTOR.

Patented Apr. 71942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Alfred Duskes, New York, N. Y. Application January 8, 1940, Serial No. 312,838

9 Claims.

'This invention relates to motion picture apparatus and more particularly to motion picture projectors employing endless film bands and interchangeably non-endless films reeled on spools.

For the users of motion picture projectors, especially for the amateur it is an important feature to avoid the difficulties in manipulating the nlm prior and subsequent to its exhibition, therefore the principal objects of my-invention are to eliminate the threading of the nlm into the projector as also the rewinding of the nlm between successive exhibits.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motion picture projector'with means that enable the use of endless nlm bands in unitary or selfcontained attachable nlm holders or magazines, that is to say, the use of removable magazines without having to thread the nlm into the projector, and which is also adapted for the alternate use of non-endless fllms reeled on spools in the customary way. 'Thus to provide a motion picture projector permanently in readiness for both purposes without the necessity of attaching or detaching parts thereof when one or the other purpose is to be adapted.

A further object is to provide a removable nlm magazine for endless film bands with means that prevent the nlm from being inserted into the nlm gate of the projector in any other position than A still further object is to provide a removable I nlm magazine for endless film bands with means that prevent the loose portion of the film from extending outside of the magazine, enabling the nlm to remain constantly stored in it without' being damaged and additionally to remain always pre-threaded and in readiness yfor exhibition.

Attempts have formerly been made to achieve these objectives but heretofore only part of the manifold objectives have beensolved. They were therefore only singularly adaptable for specific purposes, for instance: Prior methods that eliminate the threading of the nlm into the projector employ non-endless film-coils wound on spools. Therefore for successive exhibits rewinding remained necessary, making -these nonthreadingdevlces only adaptable to cameras.

On the other hand existing methods that utilize endless nlm coils and so eliminate rewinding were not applicable to avoid the threading of the film into the projector because of the twists which are formed on its travel from the inner to the-1 outer periphery of the coil. Endless nlm bands were therefore previously mainly in use in advertising projectors.

Other devices that avoid rewinding have adapted the principle of loading the magazine with two nlmsor one film of double Width with laterally adjacent rows of picture frames,\progre's sive in opposite direction. This method is limited to special films of double width and has the further disadvantage of inexpediently compelling the second nlm 'or adjacent row of pictures to run idle through the projector when the other one is being projected.

Methods that prevent the strain upon the endless nlm on its twisted travel from the inner periphery of the coil to the nlm advancing mechanism and back to the outer periphery of the coil have adapted feeding belts or other frictional driving devices, to lessen the strain, causing the mechanism to be more or less complicated without entirely eliminating the evil. Furthermore heretofore existing projectors that are adaptable,

for the projection of endless and non-endless films makethe attachment or detachment of special devices necessary before the change from one purpose to the other can be effected. They can therefore not be used interchangeably. Bey sides the remainingdisadvantage of having to thread the endless film into the projector, skilled manipulation and time is necessary to change the devices, preventing the use of these projectors for amateur purposes.

I attain all my objectives in one unit without the use 'of special or double nlm or the attachment or detachment of special devices by providing the projector, besides some of the usual characteristics with several novel features and by combining the projectorwith a removable and interchangeable magazine for an endless nlm band which embodies a novel channel-like nlmholding guide and feed sprockets. Said maga- 'I'he novel pre-threading device arranged with-v in the magazine assures the correct position of the endless illm in the film-gate of the projector and also prevents the film from extending outside o! the magazine. y

The strain on the twisted part of the film is avoided by arranging the film channel holdingguide and the leed sprockets both within the endless film magazine thus eliminating the necessity of pulling the film to and from the projector and thus avoiding the strain.

The double use oi.' the projector for endless film-bands in removable interchangeable maga zines as also for non-endless films, without attaching or detaching additional parts, is mainly achieved by providing the projector with a novel magazine receptacle in which the removable magazine can be inserted, with clutches that are adapted to drive the iilm feed-sprockets within the magazine and additionallywith a film gate aperture plate complementary to the channel guide within the magazine.

It is obvious that my invention is preferably utilized by adapting a magazine for each filmcoil in which the film remains permanently stored thus serving as a container to `protect the film when not being projected.

It should be understood that features of this invention are applicable to both moving picture projectors and a. moving picture camera. Hence, the term, "moving picture apparatus is herein understood to cover the one as well as the other.

The several features of my invention and other objectives and advantages will be, apparent from the following specilicationn and accompanying drawings in which: y

Figure 1 is a iront' view of one form oi.' the removable illm-magazine embodying a film coil,

Figure l5 represents another form of the pro :lector of slightly diilerent arrangement.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings l i will describe the particular embodiment of the invention used for illustrative purposes.

Like characters of reference relate to like parts throughout the several views, The lm magazine Figure l comprises mainly a supporting framefeed and supply-sprockets and a nlm-holdingguide and with the magazine-cover partly broken away to show the interior arrangement. In this view the film is shown in a complete circuit of travel, forming two loops between the sprockets and the nlm-holding-guide.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section along the line 2-2d of Fig. 1 illustrating the magazine inserted into the complementary projector.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of Figure 1 illus-` trating a slightly modified construction of the drive for the two feed-sprockets.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of another I tary prolector.

Figure E is perspective rear view oi the pro jector shown in Figure 2, with the magazine re `moved, illustrating the additional arrangement by which the projector also can be used lor non endless lni-coils in the customary way with two spools.

Figure 6 is a perspective front view of Figure 5 showing the clutches for the film sprockets o! the magazine and the projector in use for nonendless films.

Figure 7 is a perspective front view of Figures 5 and 6 showing the insertion of the magazine.

Figure 8 is a perspective front view of Figure? showing the magazine fully inserted and ready for projection.

Figure 9 is a perspective-view of Figure l.

Figures l0 to 13 are perspective views of projectors complementary to the magazine shown in Figure 4, illustrating the applicationof-*the magazine.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the magazine illustrated in Figure 4.

plate lll, a cover III, a plurality of idle rollers i2, rotatably mounted by means of studs I4 on the supporting frame plate Il), two novel designed Iilm leed sprockets I5 and IE with the usual sprocket teeth which engage the perforation of the illm and a channehlike film-holding device The film-holding device I1 (Figure 3) com prises a base-plate 2B which is mounted on the studs Ila, b and c, (Figure l) two horizontal location hars 2| and 22 suitably fastened to the basi plate 2B at 25 andvl and a channel-like nlm guide IIa which is pressed by means of a sp1-ing 23 (Figure 3) against the bars 2| and 22. The intakeand outage-sprockets I5 and I6 (Figures l and 3) of the magazine idly rotatable on the studs 2l and 28 are provided with holes 2S in which the pins 44, (Figure 6), arranged on the clutches 30 and 3| of the projector, engage when the magazine is contacted with the projector. The clutches 30 and 3| are driven by the mechanism of the projector and covered in the rear with a casing 49 (Figure 5). The gears l1 and Il (Figure 3) suitably Iastened to the sprockets l5 and IG are designated to drive the sprockets I5 and I8 in a slightly dil- Ierent form to the one illustrated in Figure l. In the arrangement shown in Figure i theitwo clutches lli and 3| of the projector are adapted to drive the two sprockets I5 and I8 of the magazine and the gears 41 and 48 are unnecessary. In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 3 the projector is provided with only one clutch designed to drive one sprocket, whereas the gears Il and I8 connect the two sprockets together to the ei- !ect that one sprocket drives the other. The use of the endless film through the travel mechanism of the magazine is best illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. The intake sprocket I5 feeds the film in direction o! the arrows from the inner convolution of the coil, whereas the outgo-sprocket i8 feeds the film to the outer circle oi' the coil. The loose portion o the film, that is the' piece between the intake-'and outgo-sprockets i5 and IB, is placed into the film channel guide il, in which said iilm is held in position between the channel guide |1 and the horizontal location bars 25 and 26 by means of the spring 23 pressing the channel slightly against the two bars. Two slightly twisted loops i9 and ill (Figures l and 3) are formed between the two sprockets |5 and IB and the channel-guide, to prevent tension on the nlm.

The film is now pre-threaded and ai'ter closing the magazine with the cover remains permanently in the magazine ready for single or repeated projection. For projection `the magazine is inserted into the magazine-carrier 35 of the projector as shown in Figures 2, 'l and 8. Figure 'l shows the magazine hall way inserted, Figure 8 illustrates the magazine fully inserted and contacted with the projector. This causes the clutches Il) and 3| (Figure 6), by means of the pins 44 to engage into the holes 29 of theintakeand outgo-sprockets Il and IB connecting the driving mechanism of the projector with the two sprockets. When the projector is set in motion the two sprockets will now rotate in the required direction and speed, being driven by means of -ure 2).

aavaoaa the location bars 2| and. 22 of the magazine to the eifect that the intermittent claw-movement 45 (Figures 2 and 5) will operate direct into the perforation of the film, advancing said portion of the iilm intermittently and in the proportion to the feed and outgo sprockets. u Y

The magazine receptacle 35 (Figures 2, 7 and 8) of the projector is hinged at 35a so that the magazine can only be insertedor removed when the magazine carrier is in an opened 'position as shown in Figure v'7. This arrangement prevents damage to the claws of the pull-.down movement 45 (Figure 2) or to the pins 44 (Flgure 6) Aoi? the clutches 30 and 3|. The two retracting'pins 44 projecting forwardly on the clutches 35 and 3| are pressed outwardly by means of coil-springs (not shown). The sprockets I5 and I6 are provided with an odd number of holes in which the pins 44 engage. By this arrangement always one of the two retractable pins will engage in one of the holes of the sprockets, whereas the other pin, being situatedv between two holes of the sprocket will retract' into the clutch.'

To exhibit non-endless films in the customary manner with the same projecting machine, said projector (Figures 5 and 6) is provided with two additional sprockets 4I and 4|, a feed-spool bracket 42a (Figure 6) `with spool 42, an ordinary take-up spooling device (not shown) with spool 43 and an extra lm-pressure door 31 (Fig- The film sprockets 40 and 4i are designed to feed the film to and from the aperture gate 46 and from and to the spools 42 and 43 in the usual way. The film pressure door 31 (Figure 2) when closed against the aperture .plate 46 holds and presses the lm slightly against said 'aperture plate. The magazine carrier 35 remains empty and locked against the projector when in use for non-endless films as shown in Figure 8. The arrangement of the projector lamp and lens can easily be understood in the illustrations shown. The non-endless nlm has to be removed fromv the projector when the endless film coil within the magazine is to be projected. Figures to 14 illustrate a different form of my invention adapting the form of magazine illustrated in Figure'4. The light of the projector lamp is focused on to the iilmframe by means of a prism 50 (Figure l5) through an According to the above description the coil is rceled around rotatably arranged idle rollers. Any other endless reeling device for instance is held in a pre-threaded positionV within the nlm holding device `vmay vary. Anyl suitable mechanical means to hold the illm in the desired position within the channel holding device may be adapted. The horizontal location bars against which the lm is being pressed by the channelguide .may be di'erently formed or arranged and the means by `.which the channel is pressed against the bars may diifer. Also any construction or suitable form of clutch for imparting rotation to the feed-sprockets' of the magazine may be provided. The-construction, arrangement or position ofthe magazine in the projector may diier in many ways. For instance the niagazine-receptacle may be slideably contacted with the projector and the magazines instead of being inserted from above or sideways into the magazine-receptacle, as preferably chosen in the illustration, may be inserted or contacted in any other position or direction. The accompanying illustrations have already shown that various arv rangements are readily applicable by those skilled in -the art and that this may be done without departing from the spirit of my invention. 'I'he above disclosure is therefore only to be construed in an illustrative and not limiting sense. YThe scope' of the invention being defined by the i'ollowing claims.

Iclaim:

A1. Motion picture projecting apparatus for endless film, comprising a projector having optical projecting means, a film guiding aperture plate associated with said optical means 'for positioning the nlm with respect thereto, and also having film feed drive mechanism, and driving clutch means, and an endless lm magazine,

-means to removably connect said magazine to v et mounted on said frame and disposed inside said projector, said magazine comprising a sup.- porting frame, means for rotatably supporting a roll of endless film on said frame, a feed sprockthe' inner diameter of said nlm ro1l,- a take-up sprocket outside of said roll and also mounted on said frame, film vguide means complementary to said aperture plate, said guide means comprising a pressure member, means for mounting the pressure member onsaid frame for yieldably pressing thelm against said aperture plate, stop means for said pressure member, connected with said frame. to provide a path for the film and to provide with said pressure member a film guiding and holding means, said inside sprocket being adapted to feed the iilm directly `to said film` guide means, andV complementary clutch means to establish driving engagement between said film feed drive clutch means and said sprockets incident to the attachment of the magazine to the projector, said film guide means on the magv azine being positioned to enter into cooperative with rollers that are arranged to form an oblong e association with the aperture plate vto confine the film between them, so as to effect selfthreading of the lm with respect to the projector incident to such attachment.

2. Apparatus accordingto claim 1, in which the means for mounting the pressure member on said frame comprise a support, and said stop means are provided on said support.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, having means'whereby said guide means are connected with the frame, so. that said guide means are disposed laterally of the lm roll.

4. Apparatus. according to claim 1, having means whereby said guide means are connected the magazine and the means by which the iilm to said roll supporting means, so thatsaid guide means are disposed laterally ofl the film roll.

magazine. y

6. For use with a motion picture projector having optical projecting means, a film: guiding aperture plate associated with said optical means for positioning the film with respect thereto and also having lm feed drive mechanism, and driv,

ing clutch means, an endless film magazine, means to removably connect said magazine to said projector, said magazine comprising a support-ingi'rame, means for rotatably supporting a `roll of endless film on said film, a feed sprocket 'mounted on said frame and disposed inside the inner diameter of said film roll, a take-up sprocket outside of said roll and also mounted on said frame, film guide means complementary to said aperture plate, said guide means comprising a pressure member, means for mounting the pressure member on said frame for yieldably pressing the film against said aperture plate, stop means for said pressure member connectedV with said frame to provide a path for the film and to provide with said pressure member a film guiding and holding means, said inside sprocket being adapted to feed the film directly to said film guide means, and complementary clutch means adapted to establish driving engagement between said film feed drive clutch means and said sprockets incident to the attachment of the magazine to the projector, said film guide means on the magazine being positioned to enter into c0- operative association with the aperture plate to confine the ,film between them, s0 as to make pos sible self -threading of the film with respect to the projector incident to such attachment.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which the means for mounting the pressure member on said frame comprise a support, and said stop means are provided on said support.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, having means whereby said guide means are connected with the frame, so that said guide means are disposed laterally of the film roll.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, having means whereby said guide means are connected to said roll supporting means, so that said guide means are disposed laterally of the film roll.

ALFRED DUSKES. 

